Coin bank



D. F. EARL Dec. 12, 1933.

COIN BANK Filed NOV. 29, 1930 Patented Dec. 12,v 1933 Donald F. Earl, Melrose, Mass.

Application November 29, 1930 Serial No. 499,037

8 Claims. (Cl. 232-4) A Thisvinvention relates to coin banks for savings, and the aim of the invention is to provide a novel and improved bank having, among others, the advantages hereinafter described and 5 claimed.

In the drawing of one embodiment of my invention illustrated and described herein,

Fig. 1 is a plan with certain-parts shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2, a front elevation;

Fig. 3, a bottom view with certain parts shown iny dotted lines;

Fig. 4, a partial rear elevation; I Fig. 5, a vertical section onthe line 5 5, Fig. 1,

looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 6, a horizontal Vsection :on

Fig.,2, looking down;

the line 6--6,

Fig. '7, a vertical section on the line 7--7, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrow; and

Fig; 8, a plan of the novel coin slotguard plate.

Referring first to Figs.V 1, 2,my novel coin bank comprises a hollow casing 1, preferably ovalVv in outline, of suitable material, as sheet metal, with a top 2, andV open at its lower edge 3, Figs. 5, 7, to receive a base-to be described. In this oval form of casing, coin openings or slots, lto `be lreferred to, are so provided that `all can be seen and used easily from the front of the bank, contrary to the usual case.

This casing-is provided at. its loweredge 3, Figs. 3, A5, 7, with a basemember comprising the inner lock carrying plate 5, the peripheral edge form theA base member with therein,

The'casing 1, is divided by a core or coin chamber formingv member V11 into a plurality of coin chambers 12, 1.3, 14, 15, of proper sizes to receive respectively the coins of differ- Y ent denominations, and each is indicated on the outside of the casing from left to right, by slots 25 suitably marked as quarters, dimes, nickels,

,and half dollars.

Each chamber also has a vertical slot'255 opening into it, with computing lines 256 adjacent thereto.

The core 1l with theV a lock chamber casing, also provides a space 16 of irregular outline which can be used for bills, if` desired.

The core is so fashioned as to size and outline that, assembled with the casing, it forms the closed chambers referred to. The core may be provided with struts 17 which serve to assist in keeping the member in proper lateral position by their contactwith the wall of the casing, and thus also reinforce the several chamber wallsand the Walls of the casing.

The top 1, Figs. 1, 7, is depressed at certain points near the center toform seats. to receive the turned over ears 18 extended upward from the upper edge of the wall 20 of the chambers 12, 15 ofthe core, and which ears, Figs. 1, 7, extend through slots 19 in the top 1, and by which the core is secured to the top. Y

The lower edges of some of the walls 20 of the core, Fig. 7, have downwardly directed flanges 2,1, Figs. 3, '7, which extend through the plate 5 and are provided with horizontal slots 22 which receive bolts 23 `of a lock 24, Fig. `3, dotted lines, -and which serve to lock the base to the casing,

as distinguished from the construction wherein boltsl or tongues on the baseA engage `lips on the inner face of the casing, which lips interfere with the free removalv of the coins from the chamber by permitting them to slide 'therefrom as when vthe core is standing upon or held over the counter.

Thus the bank is opened by removing the base from the core and casing, left intact With their contents.

Heretofore coin banks have been assembled vvith'they base and core integral. In such case when the cashier at thebank opened the coin bank by removing the casing lfrom the base, he had left in one hand the base and core and the contents; without sufficient lateral protection for the latter when the cashier tipped the case up in order to pour the contents into the coin hopper or receiver which is used to automaticaliy separate the coins. In such case some of the coins were almost sure to be spilled upon the table or counter to the great delay and inconvenience of the cashier. When my improved bank is to be opened, it is simply turned upside down in the hand, and the base unlocked and removed from the casing and core, thus leaving the latter with theV coins in their chambers intact and surrounded by the casing so that the coins cannot be spilled before being poured intothe coin hopper. Or, by a `quick motion, the bank may be turned over right side up considerable trouble and complaint at the present. time.

The coin slots for receiving the coins are provided preferably with the tops equi-distant from the top of thecasing but varying in width and length to receive coins of different sizes. The slots are also guarded by a novel and improvedI form of guard to prevent the accidental or intentional withdrawal of coins except by unlocking the bank.

My novel coin and slot guarding means, Figs. 1, 5, 7 and 8, comprises a thin plate of resilient metal, as brass, fashioned in a novel manner. The continuous back or rear edge portion 26, Figs. 5, 8, which seats horizontally against the inside of the top 1 of the casing is substantially flat, and forwardly from it, Figs. '7, 8, as a back bone', extend slot-guard-segmentor bar-carrying ribs or tongues 2'7. k

The forward segmental end 23 of each tongue, Figs. 5, '7, 8, is suiciently long to substantially correspond with the length of the slot it is to guard, Figs. 1, 8, and the tongue itself, Figs. 5, 7, directed downwardly from the back edge and curved forwardly and upwardly so that in their combined outline, the segments orV bars correspond to the outline of the casing. The outer edge 29 of each slot guard segment is turned upwardly and, Figs. 5, 7, 8, provided with one or more, herein one, inwardly directed, yielding nger 30 which normally contacts with the casing top and acts as a yielding stop for the slot guard segment member in its upward travel, under the inuence of the inwardly pressed coin. The remaining p0rtion of the upturned edge 29 of the segment is proportioned as to height to constitute a positive stop element to prevent forcing the segment up too far, by the edge striking the top of the casing. To furtherV aid in obtaining the accurate adjustment of the action of thefinger 30, I cut the upstanding edge 29 of the segment away a little at each side of the base of the finger forming half round slots 300, Figs. 5, 8, which lengthen, in effect, thenger 30 at its inner end and make it more sensitive to pressure, without extending the finger further inwardly.

Each slot-guard-segment sofformed and fashioned depends sufliciently, opposite a coin slot,

to block a direct entrance to the bank without springing the segment upwardly, as bythe coin when the latter is thrust through the slot, the segment yielding sufiiciently to permit the coin to be thrust into the bank. As the coins of any denomination, say dimes, vary in thickness according to the time they have been in circulation, it is desirable to provide a guard with an adjustable stopping action as that of the finger S0,r so that it will admit readily a new or an old coin and act equally effectively to prevent the withdrawal of each. The object is attained by the construction described, the finger 30 providing the yielding stopping action toy admit coins of varying thickness. The cutaway top edge portion of the core walls as shown in Fig. '7 provides a limiting stop member for the downward movement of the guard, thus preventing one from inserting a'knife blade or similar -member through the slotand depressing the guard member 28 suiliciently to make it inoperative and permit the extraction of coins through the slot by'turning the bank upside down.

The upturned edge 29 of the segment, however, preventsthe latter from being forced sufficiently `upward bythe attempted insertion of a coin or by the weight of the coins, if the bank is turned upside down, or by any knife blade or similar instrument inserted thereunder, to permit extraction of the coin through the slot; it also, if the bank is turned upside down, positions the coins at an angle adverse to extraction. The edge 29 further, as a positive stop, prevents the ringer 30 through the repeated application of undue force, from acquiring an improper set that might impair its proper action. The walls of the core forming the chambers 12 to 15 inclusive are, near the point Where they touch each other and before separating to engage the casing wall, see

Fig. 5, cut away at the top to leave a horizontal straight edge 288 directly under the segmental ends 28 of the coin slot guarding tongues 27 so that said segmental ends cannot be forced downward beyond the horizontal wall defining the cut-away portion of the core. In other words, this horizontal wall 288 constitutes a stop against downward movement of the core slot guarding members 27, thus positively limiting at certain points both the upward movement'by the edge 29 and the downward movement by the wall 288.

f The guard edge opposite the two slots for quarters and halves respectively near the opposite ends of the bank, are so long and of such contour that it permits the entrance of coins even at the sharply curved end of the slot without jamming the coin against, and perhaps injuring the guard, which has not been possible heretofore with the types of guards used. rlhe coin guard Yplate is provided also with two positioning tongues 31 which act, in assembling, to assist in positioning the guard plate by abutting against the curved vupright walls 20v of the chambers 12, 15 of the core. The rear wall of the vcasing is' provided with aslot 32, Fig. 4, leading to compartment or chamber 16 for bills. VTo guide the bills downward, a tongue 310 isprovided on the guard plate.

The lock 24, already referred to, comprises,`Figs.

5, 7, a sheet metal housing 311 provided with lat-' eral ears 33 at its opposite ends which enter slots 34, dotted lines Fig. 3, in thebase 5 and are then turned down against the base and rest in depressed seats therein, not shown. In 'the housing, Fig. 3, dotted lines, are two bolts 34 at opposite sides respectively of the key barrel 36, which bolts are normally held, by a spring 37, extended through the slots 22 in the flanges 21 of the core extended through the base, referred to above, and thus lock the base to the core and casing.

The bolts 35 are withdrawn from the slots 22 by the action of a suitable key when inserted in the barrel 36 and turned.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof described and illustrated.

' I claim:

1. A coin bank comprising a casing, a core member secured therein having a main body portion forming with said casing coin compartments and having anges extending downwardly from said .main body portion; the casing provided with coin admission slots, and a base with a lock thereon .entirely below said main body portion and operable from the base for securing the same to the core flanges below the coin chambers.

2. Av coin bank comprising a casing, a core member secured therein and forming therewith coin compartments; the casing provided with coin'admission slots, the bank having coin slot guarding segmental members with upwardly' ros curved edges, and an inwardly directed yielding n' finger thereon, seated against the casing top and yieldable to admit coins through the slots, and the segment edges blocking the exit through said slots, `the core fashioned to provide stops against determining the position of the segmental member relative to the slot, the latter yieldable progressively to admit coins, the curved edges adapted to strike the bank top under certain conditions and thus stop yielding of the fingers and block-V ing the exit through said slots, the core fashioned to provide stops against downward movement of coin slot guarding members; and a base with a lock securing it to the core.

4. A coin slot guard for coin banks comprising a rear back bone section with yielding slot guarding tongues extended therefrom forwardly, the tongues carrying cupped segmental end portions with resilient stop fingers inwardly extended therefrom.

5. In a coin bank having coin admission slots, resilient slot guarding members therefor with upwardly extended edges having resilient stop fingers extending inwardly therefrom to admit coins, the adjacent upwardly extended edges acting, with the casing top, as a positive stop to limit upward movement of the slot guarding members. Y

6. A coin bank having a. casing and a core therein forming coin chambers, coin-receiving slots in the casing leading to the chambers, a base member with a lock operatively engaging the core, and cupped coin slot guarding tongues with a top-engaging positive stop edge portion and a yielding stop member thereon, the stop member effective within certain limits of pressure and the stop portion effective thereafter to prevent deforming of the stop member by the exercise of continued and undue pressure thereon for removal of the coins.

'7. In a coin bank, an oval coin slot guarding member with one edge upwardly curved and slit to provide segmental tongues, the latter having also each an inwardly directed curved nger yieldable to the limit set by the contact of the upwardly curved edge of the slot guarding member with the bank top to admit coins.

8. A coin bank comprising a casing, a core member having apertured locking flanges extending downwardly therefrom and a hollow base member having two base plates with a lock therebetween, one base plate apertured to receive the locking anges of the core, and bolts in the lock constructed and arranged to be thrown by a key to enter the apertures in the flanges of the core.

DONALD F. EARL. 

